Page 98 of A Trial By Blood

“Kick it to me,” a deep voice said, echoey and strange.

The guard lifted his hands. “What are you doing here? I already told him—”

“Kick the phone to me. Now.” I couldn’t see the dark male’s face, his back was to me, and he was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, the hood up, concealing his features, but whatever he did had the guard’s eyes widening in terror.

He kicked over the phone, and the dark male stopped it with his foot, then smashed it with the sole of his boot.

“What the fuck do you want?” the guard said, stumbling back a step.

The dark figure said nothing.

The guard flinched. “I didn’t do anything wrong. Mr. Kelley hired me. You got a problem, talk to him.” He pulled a gun from somewhere at his back—

One moment, the male in black was across from him, and the next, he was behind the guard. There was a flash of steel, then a line appeared across the guard’s throat. There was a second of nothing, of stillness, or surprise, then the guard opened his mouth, his hands flying to his throat. Blood spilled over his lips and down his chin, through his fingers, then he collapsed on the floor.

The male in black strode away, blending into the shadows once more.

“Rose?”

Mags’s voice pulled me back from the scene playing out in my mind. I gasped, sucking down a sharp breath and then another.

“A vision?” she asked.

I nodded.

“Are you okay?”

No. I wasn’t okay. I was so very far from okay. That might have only been a vision, but when you’re in one, it felt real, and I’d just watched a man get his throat slit. I nodded and hoped I didn’t look as freaked as I felt. Whoever the male in black was, the terrifying male who killed that guard, was a major part of my task. And I finally had another lead, a name. “I will be. It takes a bit to shake it after I get one.”

She touched my arm, rubbing at the goose bumps that had lifted all over my skin. “What did you see?”

“I can’t…I can’t tell you.” I worked at controlling my racing heart. “It was about my task.”

Mags studied my face. “You can tell me, I just can’t help you.”

If Mags knew how much more dangerous this just got, she would want to help. Even though she knew she shouldn’t, with her lack of impulse control lately, I’m not sure she’d be able to help herself. “I’m ah…still trying to sort it all out. It’s a bit of a jumble,” I lied.

She nodded, and there was no hiding her concern. “You’re shaken. Let me get you home.”

I nodded, and as she drove, I tried to work out what the vision meant. Who was the male in black? And why had he killed the guard? Mr. Kelley? Who was he, and what was his involvement? I checked my phone, but Ronan hadn’t replied to my text. His replies usually came instantly. I shoved my phone back in my pocket and tried not to freak the hell out.

CHAPTER 28

Ronan

Hell

Warrick led us through another long cavern. Relic and several other hounds following.

“Here,” Warrick said.

We’d reached a large wooden door, and Warrick strode up and pounded on it.

A few seconds later, it swung open. A female stood there, and when she saw Warrick and the other hounds, she beamed. “War! You’re here early. I thought you weren’t due back for a couple weeks?”

“Unplanned trip, Rox,” War said. “Is he here?”

“You betcha. Come on in.”